Hello Everyone,

I have been researching many different firms that specifically make real estate websites. I wanted to know what your experiences are with the different companies out there. I have researched a lot, some of them are advanced access, superlative, successwebsites, etc. I am looking for a company that will not only make a website, but also market it properly on the internet to get good position. I am currently studying to get licensed, and want to have a website once I get licensed. I would appreciate honest opinions about the different companies out there. Thank you in advance to all that reply.

APM

I do my own design, but of the big outfits I see, Advanced Access and Superlative look good.

Just a casual check in my particular market shows sites from those 2 look good and do well in the engines.

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Ruperto Elpusan Jr.
Bankers Realty
e-mail: Ruperto@FineHomesInLA.com
Beverly Hills-Malibu-Palos Verdes Real Estate
Torrance/South Bay Real Estate

Here is a little information you might find enlightening if you are really looking for, as you say, a website company that not only produces the website but also markets it effectively for you so that it places well in the major search engines.

Stay away from template sites - i.e. sites that have a "control panel" where you can go in and make your own changes. The reason you can make your own changes is because they are created from a database - the pages are created "on the fly" - and aside from the main entry page, search engines find it hard or impossible to spider. That means as far as a search engine is concerned you have a one page website and it is ranked accordingly.

In an effort to compensate for this shortcoming, some template sites resort to hidden text and links pages (unknown to you and probably unkown to your 'rep' as well) which cause all of the web sites produced by these companies to be penalized in search engines - there is no hope whatsover of ever placing well.

Advanced Access was mentioned earlier and it is true that some of their websites do place very well in search engines. In fact from what I have seen they are the only template company that can make this boast, That does not mean that if you signup for an AA site that you will automatically place well though.

The AA sites that place well do so for a reason. Either the agent has been very involved in promoting the web site (i.e. getting involved by exchanging links and listing the site in appropriate direcories etc.) - or the agent is using a third party to do this for them.

Advanced Access charges extra for helping your site place well in search engines - it is not included. The last time I looked they had 3 plans for "marketing" - all with annual fees - the Bronze Plan for $150 + search engine fees, the Silver Plan for $849 + search engine fees, and the Gold Plan for $1,899 + search engine fees!

Unless you pay - or do it yourself you will be basicaly invisible for competitive keywords.

Of the AA sites that currently rank well many use 3rd party positioning or have worked hard in the past at promoting their own site (instead of spending the time selling real estate!).

Some of the sites ranking well are doing so because they became involved in a link exchange I had set up a couple of years ago where the had the benefit of having quality sites link to them.

If I were to run that exchange again now, most of those sites would not be eligeable for inclusion as a lot has been learned about how linking can or can not help you since then.

Basically, the pages that template sites have set up for agents to use when exchanging links are of no use to the agents who have a link included on that page. Why? Because usually the links page is not included in search engines listings. If by some miracle the page is included, often the page contains more links than Google recommends (100) - so the links are ignored.

Agents are becoming more knowledgable on this subject and are starting to refuse link exchanges that do not have a quality links page that will be of some benefit.

So, just because you see a template site that places well today - that does not mean you will be able to duplicate that success yourself.

If you are looking for a web site package that does include search engine positioning and has a proven track record - click on the ad at the top of the page

[This message has been edited by doug (edited 10-28-2003).]

Hi,

I just obtained my salesperson license today! First, I really appreciate that a discussion forum such as this one exists for new and experienced real estate professionals.

Like APM, I have also checked out all of the template web designers including the one mentioned by Doug - unfortunately, my region has been taken so I can't use them. I would still like additional opinions from other people with regards to the best options and how their website has improved their lead generation and image (exposure). I'm willing and able to spend some money on a website, but I want to make sure their is a cost/benefit. I have to admit that most of the non-custom web designers seem to have very busy screens... I guess they may be effective for lead generation but not very good from an image perspective. I personally prefer clean and simple websites. I'm planning to contact a custom web designer in my metro area that develops quality sites with strong SEO, but I feel sure that the cost will be prohibitive!

Again any thoughts on the cost/benefit and actual results will be greatly appreciated as well as other recommendations of web designers!

Hi Miguel,

Congrats on getting your license!
Thank you to those that have posted their opinions so far. I look forward to reading what others have to say as well

If you feel your business depends on good web placement you may have several major disappointments in line. Not to down play the techies ( IR1 ) but the "Hope" that unknown Buyers will stumble into your lap by finding your web site is not realistic.

You can pay a fortune to get good placement but you will probably find that most of these "leads" are from people simply involved in surfing the net, few are real potential buyers.

Select a good web site name... easy to remember, easy to type, probably with some identification to real estate. Then promote the site yourself... on your cards, all letters, all e-mail, every flyer, every handout, on your sign rider if you don't supply your own signs....

People who then make Hits on your site are far more likely to be Real Leads who can turn into $$$. Most blind internet inquiries I know of, that I have had or in discussion with other brokers, is that they are a lot of work with very little money making potential...

In short, drive real clients to your site by promoting it, don't depend or spend money on having a company say they will push you to high rankings.... web rankings in real estate are not the same as workable hits to your site. Remember the same guy saying he will push your site to high ranking is the same guy calling the guy across the hall with the same "get rich quick" with high ranking sales pitch.

With all due respect to the more traditional ways of prospecting, I can honestly say that Internet leads and search engine positions make a huge difference for me.

It's conventional wisdom that real estate is relationship-driven, and that almost all (if not all) of your business should come from people you know and who you have pressed the flesh. However, in my case (and maybe it's because I have more of a geek background), most of my business is derived from the Internet -- from people who were complete strangers to me (started out that way; of course, I eventually meet them).

It's been important for me to reach critical mass in my search engine traffic to get meaningful numbers so that there are sufficient numbers of serious buyers (it's all a numbers game anyway; only a small percentage end up being serious).

Now, I realize this just might be my case and may not be replicatible for others. In my area, there are certain markets that generate a lot of hits for a number of reasons. By positioning well in the search engines for keyphrases involving those particular markets, I can get enough traffic to play the percentages.

Case in point: For some reason, I get a lot of frivolous leads from make-believe stars who want a mansion in Beverly Hills. A complete waste of time that you have to sift through. However, this weekend, I received a legitimate buyer who needs to relocate and needs a $3 million home. For every 10 bum leads, you get a good one. But you need to generate the numbers to get enough good ones.

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Ruperto Elpusan Jr.
Bankers Realty
e-mail: Ruperto@FineHomesInLA.com
Beverly Hills-Malibu-Palos Verdes Real Estate
Torrance/South Bay Real Estate

[This message has been edited by Ruperto (edited 10-29-2003).]

BTW, search engine optimization doesn't have to be expensive. I do my own work, so it's free. I do supplement it with paid inclusions in directories and do the pay-per-click thing also.

Reality Check, with all due respect,the type of leads you receive can be affected by the type of web site you have and the manner in which you induce those leads.

Many, many agents using the web attribute 30% to 50% of their annual business from the leads they receive from their website. Some are local leads that are just at the beginning of their process and may not buy for several months - but you are the first agent they contact and you have the opportunity to build a relaitonship and help them buy when they are ready. Many others are relocation leads - with no referrals to pay. They come on the house hunting trip, look at 5 or 6 homes and buy - you have to like that!

It is true that many agents have little success with their leads - usually it is because they do not know how to treat the leads when they receive them and how to follow up. Internet leads are not the same as a conventional sign or ad call and if treat as such the agent will seldom be successful. Hence the agents talking about internet leads being not serious.

Agents who DO know how to convert leads are happily paying Overture and Google up to $1000 a month pay-per-click fees to attract leads because they know how valuable those leads are.

Those agents pay because they do not have a website like APM is looking for - where effective search engine positioning was taken into consideration during the original production of the site and where ongoing search engine positioning is included in the monthly fees.

The value of such a site is well known to saavy agents - it is priceless. Especially when the alternative is paying several hundred dollars a month pay-per-click fees - forever.

If you plan on having a website, isn't it wise to look for the type of site APM is looking for - where the costs are the same as sites where the SEO is not included? At least you get the leads and have the opportunity to convert them - most agents do not have that opportunity with their web sites because they did not ask the questions APM is asking.

[This message has been edited by doug (edited 10-30-2003).]

Hello Everyone:

Here is an article I came across about picking the proper website vendor.
http://realtytimes.com/rtapages/20031105_sitebuy.htm

APM

I set up a site using Advanced Access. AgentDeluxe.com and Myers.com has come ok products. I also have other sites that were created by posting a project on Elance.com

I've been looking for a good developer myself

I am not an agent, however I do make my living from designing websites for them. Here is my advice for you: Open up your phone book and find a local web devoloper that you can meet with in person. This person should also have plenty of local referals, this is your best bet. As for marketing - Have the webdesigner implement basic white hat, on page seo. Then when the site is done learn about the basics of off site Seo. This is not that hard if you are going after avarage "real" "estate" "town" & "state" search engine terms.

Hi Webmaster
what's your definition of average real estate search engine terms? How many competing sites would be average?

Sounds like a plan for building a billboard in the desert in most cases;)

That was a great link you posted APM and gives the essentials of a real estate website development company.